CHAPTER XXXVIII. HOLDING THE FORTRESS 301 CHAPTER XXXIX. HOW IT WAS IN THE MORNING 309 CHAPTER XL. GATHERING UP THE SWINDLERS 318 CHAPTER XLI. THE TURNING OF THE TIDE 327 JUST HIS LUCK. CHAPTER I. PEACHES AND A HORSEWHIP. “There are some peaches worth eating,” said Lon Trustleton to his two companions, as they passed an orchard of this delicious fruit on the river road, as it was called. “Them’s tip-top,” added Matthew Swikes: “I go for havin’ some on ’em.” “So I say,” replied Lon; and he leaped over the fence, followed by Matt. “Come along, Wade.” “No: I’m not going to steal anybody’s peaches,” answered Wade Brooks. “Oh, come along!” called Lon, the son of the rich Captain Trustleton, who lived on the hill near the village of Midhampton. “No: I won’t have any thing to do with the scrape. Besides, I have to go on an errand to the village,” said Wade. “See here, Wade Brooks, if you don’t come over here, I’ll break your skull,” continued Lon Trustleton, shaking his head to emphasize his words. “What for? for not stealing peaches?” added Wade, with a smile at the absurdity of the idea. “You want to set up for a goody; and when any thing is said about hooking peaches, you blow on Matt and me, that’s the way of it; and if you don’t come over here I’ll go over there--that’s all.” Matt Swikes was already shaking a tree filled with peaches, which were even more tempting to Wade than to his companions; for he was a friendless boy, whom no one fed with nice peaches. As the fruit was fully ripe, a great quantity came down when Matt shook the tree. He and Lon filled their pockets, and returned to the road as quickly as possible; for the consequences of stealing peaches were not always pleasant, though stolen fruit may be the sweetest. The first thing that Lon did when he was in the road was to bat Wade Brooks over the head, as he had promised to do. “What are you about, Lon?” demanded Wade Brooks, as he dodged the blow. “I told you I’d do it, and I will,” replied Lon, following up his victim, who tried to escape from him; but in the end he received several heavy blows. “What’s that for, I should like to know?” said the victim, when his persecutor seemed to be fully satisfied with the punishment he had inflicted. “I told you what it was for, while I was in the orchard. Now, if you ever say a word about this thing, I’ll give you a broken head that will last you longer than this one will. I don’t want any fellow canting where I am.” “I didn’t meddle with you,” replied Wade, who thought it a very hard case to be pounded for not stealing peaches. “If you want to steal peaches, that is your affair, and not mine.” “If you say any thing more about stealing, I’ll give you another dose now. Can’t a fellow help himself to a few peaches without it’s being called stealing?” demanded Lon, with a look of injured innocence.